Colostomy irrigator



Nov. 4, 1952 N. A. PAPPAS COLOSTOMY IRRIGATOR 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Sept. 5. 1950 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY NOV. 4, 1952 PAPPAS 2,616,425

COLOSTOMY IRRIGATQR Filed Sept. 5. 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Fig. 5

INVENTOR. NICHOLAS A. PAPPAS ///l I'II/ ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PAT EN T OFFICE COLOSTOMY IRRIGATOR Application September 5, 1950, Serial No. 183,265.

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to surgical appliances, and more particularly to a. detachable apparatus for the use of persons who have had a colostomy operation and the like, and where the natural use of the colon for evacuation purposes is prevented. The accompanying obncxiousness, inconvenience and discomfort necessitated by those obliged to use existing devices for substitution purposes is well recognized.

ihe object of my invention is to improve the structure of colostomy devices by providing means which dispense with the need for the usual unsanitary hand opening covers and similar devices for manipulating the flushing catheter.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved guiding means for the insertion of the catheter.

Still another object of my invention is to provide means for adjusting pressure of the guiding means, for regulating and setting the predetermined position of the latter with reference to the colostomy opening and the abdomen.

Another object of my invention is to prevent leakage between the guiding-tube and catheter.

Still another object of my invention is to provide means for retaining the catheter in position notwithstanding the peristaltic action of the bowel to eject it.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved observation windows for observing and regulating the positions of the guiding means and catheter.

The above and other objects of my invention will hereinafter appear and be more specifically described in the accompanying specification and claims, in which Fig. 1 is a side view in partial sectional elevation of my improved colostomy appliance; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the device; Fig. 3 is a top plan View of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevation in partial section of a modification adapted for the use of a bed patient, and Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the modification illustrated in Fig. 4.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral i represents a colostomy appliance comprising a walled tube, preferably of the general shape illustrated in the top plan view, Fig. 3. The tube may be made of any suitable material, and preferably molded in one piece, but I prefer to use a hard, resinous plastic, which is easily cleaned and maintained in a sanitary condition. The walls of tube I define a channel 2 for carrying off the flushing water and fecal matter to a suitable receptacle, such as a toilet or commode.

In the species of my deviceillustratedin Figs.

of. vacuum-cup action in holding the colostomyv appliance in non-leakage contact with the-.colostomy area.

A front wall 5 of the colostomy appliance is.

rovidedwith an extension, 6 which. may be an integral part of or attached, to wall 5. This extension 6 has a central opening. in which is located a gasket 1, of any suitable resilient material, the gasket itself being provided with, an opening for the purpose of receiving a guidingtube 8 for guiding a catheter 9 into. apredetermined position for insertion in. the opening or stoma of the colostomy. An extensioncap It is adjustably secured to. the extension Sby means of screws ll. Tightening thesev screws. ll tightens the gasket 1 aroundthe outside walloi. guiding-tube 8 afterthe latter has been adjusted in position through the gasket with reference to the incision or stoma ,of the colostomy. Thus,

the tightening of screwsv ll not only preventsf leakage around tube 8 but also holds the-latter,

in its adjusted position.

A very important detailof construction to prevent leakage between the catheterandthe guiding-tube in which said catheter is, inserted is.

that the guiding-tube is tapered slightly in=- wardly from the inlet-end thereof which re-- This necessitates a slight.

ceives the catheter. forcing of the catheter to insert the latter. In addition, whereas, without this feature of my invention the catheter is periodically ejected from the storm. by the peristaltic action of the bowel, the close fit at the end of the guidingtube above-provided prevents such ejection. of the catheter from the. stoma. This construction eliminates the heretofore very undesirable, procedure of, having to. hold the. catheter in place by hand. This function is now taken, over, by

the guiding-tube.

The colostomy appliance may be fastened in place around the body and supported; by a. strap l2 secured to suitable handles l3v onthe outer wall of the device, In case, the appliance. is

made of. an opaque, rather thanatransparenu.

hard, resinous material, the top wall of the appliance may be provided with a transparent, as pliance may be provided with a transparent cover or at least a portion of the top may be transparent, as shown at zone [4, Fig. 3, and a second transparent zone or a temporary opening, Fig. 3, may be provided in the top wall. If, after the initial adjustment of the guiding-tube 8, and catheter 9, therein, it should be desired to close this opening this may be done by means of a transparent, adhesive-tape I6, or any other suitable means.

Referring now, more specifically, to Figs. 4 and 5, the construction and principle of operation is generally the same as in the case of the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, except that the modification illustrated in Figs. 4 and. 5 is more specifically adapted for use for a bed patient, and to that end the walled tubular appliance is comprised of sections a and lBa, whereby the open end of the channel represented at M may be extended to reach over the outside of the bed and discharge into a suitable receptacle (not shown) to receive said discharge. Section 15 of the tubular appliance is preferably opaque.

A flanged-plate I! is attached to the upper part of the walled tubular appliance. This flange is substantially annular in form, conformable to the surface of the abdomen, and is applied to operatively engage the colostomy area of the latter. The catheter 9 extends through the guiding-tube 8, and through the opening in the fianged plate, as shown in Fig. 5. A strap I'Za. is attached to handles [3a, secured to the flange for supporting the appliance in operative position, as in the case of the construction in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. A sight" or peep tube 18 is provided on the top side wall of section [5 of the appliance and in such relationship to the guiding-tube and catheter that the position of the latter members with reference to the stoma may be observed, but, nevertheless, so that said "sight or peep tube will not admit of leakage of fecal matter therethrough.

The guiding-tube 8 may be provided with one or more bends, as shown in the respective figures. These bends, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, enable the patient to turn the tube 8, in the gasket Ia, while, at the same time pushing the tube through an opening in the gasket until the end of the tube comes opposite the stoma or opening in the colostomy. Preferably, the end of the tube is thus manipulated so that it does not actually reach the stoma, but a small clearance is left for observation of the end of catheter 9, when the latter is pushed through guidingtube 8. In this manner, the catheter can be more easily and accurately guided and entered into the stoma.

Thus the bends in the guiding-tube compensate for any misalignment of the opening in gasket 1 and the opening or stoma of the colostomy. This adjustability is shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 4.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

When it is desired to irrigate the colon by the usual procedures of injecting water through the colostomy, the device of my invention is strapped to the body, and a suitable guiding-tube 8 having predetermined bends therein (as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4) is twisted and pushed inwardly through gasket 8, to a position approximately just short of the stoma. The adjusting screws l l are now tightened to cause cap I0 of extension 6 to compress gasket 1 around the outside of guiding-tube 8. This secures guiding-tube 8 in position and also provides a leak-tight seal. Because of the inward taper of the guiding-tube inlet 8 it may be desirable to treat the catheter with an initial coating of appropriate lubricant, before the insertion of the catheter in the guiding-tube.

While the observation windows l4, l5 and [8 are available for the proper positioning of the guiding-tube and catheter, they are so arranged that they are used for this purpose only. There is no need for obnoxious or unsanitary use of them during the actual operation of evacuation, and no necessity for handhole openings for adjusting the position of the catheter, with all the attendant unsanitary conditions accompanying such hand-hole adjusting means.

What I claim as new and oesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a single integrated colostomy appliance comprising a tubular body having a wall provided with an opening therein adapted to encircle a colostomy, a second opening in said tubular body wall substantially opposite said first opening in combination with, an extension attached to the wall of the tubular body opposite the colostomyencircling opening and adjacent the second opening, the said extension having a resilient gasket therein and said gasket provided with an opening adapted to receive a catheter-guiding tube, a catheter non-resilient guiding-tube provided with bends therein, extending through the extension and gasket opening, and the tube thus adapted to be centralized with the stoma, notwithstanding eccentricity of the latter with reference to the longitudinal axis of the guidingtube prior to such centralizing adjustment and a cap for the extension adapted to cooperate with the extension and regulate the pressure of the gasket around the non-resilient guiding tube.

2. In a single integrated colostomy appliance comprising a tubular body having a wall provided with an opening therein adapted to encircle a colostomy, a second opening in said wall substantially opposite said first opening in combination with, an extension of the tubular body wall having a resilient gasket therein adapted to receive a catheter-guiding tube, a non-resilient guiding-tube having a catheter entrance opening constricted slightly less in diameter than the outside diameter of the catheter to be inserted through said opening, and the cooperation between the resilient gasket and the non-resilient guiding-tube and th constricted guiding-tube opening, adapted to make non-leakage joints be tween the catheter and guiding-tube and the guiding-tube and gasket respectively, mean for varying the pressure of the gasket around said guiding tube, and to fix an adjusted position of the guiding tube with reference to the colostomy.

3. A colostomy appliance comprising a tubular body having a wall provided with an opening therein adapted to operatively encircle a colostomy in the abdomen, a second opening in said tubular body, an extension of the front wall of the tubular body adjacent said second opening and opposite the colostomy, a resilient gasket in said extension provided with an opening, a nonresilient catheter guiding-tube bent for adjustable relationship with the stoma and extending through the gasket opening and the second opening for a distance just short of said stoma, and adapted to receive a catheter and guide the latter to enter the stoma, a catheter extending through the guiding-tube, a movable cap for the extension, and means for tightening and loosening said cap to vary the pressure of the gasket against the outside wall of the catheter guidingtube.

4. A colostomy irrigator comprising a tubular body having a wall provided with an opening therein adapted to encircle a colostomy, a second opening therein having its central axis substantially in line with the central axis of the colostomy encircling opening, a non-resilient guidingtube for a catheter in said second opening. adapted to receive a resilient catheter and said guiding-tube provided with bends and a catheter entrance-mouth slightly less in diameter than the diameter of the catheter, an extension from the tubular body on the catheter receiving-end thereof, a resilient gasket in said extension embracing the guiding tube, andmeans carried by the extension for varying the pressure of the gasket on the guiding-tube to fix an adjusted position of the latter with respect to the stoma, and to prevent leakage around said guiding tube.

NICHOLAS A. PAPPAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,366,059 Schunk Dec. 26, 1944 2,4 4,327 McArdle Jan. 13, 1948 2.438.769 Thomas Mar. 30, 1948 

